The NBA having games on Christmas Day is as much of a tradition as Santa Claus. / Brett Davis, USA TODAY Sports

by Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY Sports

by Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY Sports

Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez has mapped out his day on Christmas. He will wake up â?? not time for presents yet â?? and begin preparing for the Nets' noon ET game against the Boston Celtics.

Afterward, he will return home and join his brother Chris, who lives with him, for Christmas dinner and gift opening. Their mom, Deborah Ledford, sent a package of wrapped gifts, and Lopez claims he has not opened a gift prematurely.

"I've been a good boy," Lopez said.

And just as much as he is looking forward to presents from the family, he is excited about working on Christmas Day.

"Growing up, we always watched Christmas Day games. It was a big day for us," said Lopez, whose twin brother Robin plays for the New Orleans Hornets. "To finally get a chance to be a part of it, it's really special for me."

In the NBA's second season, 1947, the New York Knicks beat the Providence Steamrollers at Madison Square Garden 89â??75 on Christmas Day and a tradition was born.

With the exception of the lockout season of 1998, the NBA has been as much a part of Christmas as Santa Claus. And with no college bowl games on Christmas â?? there hasn't been a Christmas bowl game since 2003 â?? NBA games have become the premier sporting events to watch that day, save for the occasional NFL games.

Players mostly buy into Christmas games because of the significant exposure and cachet.

"Christmas Day was special because everybody is watching at home," ABC/ESPN analyst and Hall of Famer Magic Johnson said. "That's what I loved about Christmas Day because it shined the spotlight on the Lakers, on our team, and we knew that all of the other leagues were at home and millions of people were watching. So it made it a special day to play on Christmas."

In the early days, games were televised locally and began receiving national TV exposure in the late 1960s. But the NBA really made Christmas its version of the NFL and Thanksgiving in the past 30 years when the league's TV partners made Christmas games a major part of its programming. It didn't hurt when New York Knicks forward Bernard King scored 60 points against the New Jersey Nets on Dec. 25, 1984. And folks are still watching.

The NBA generally draws some of its highest TV ratings for Christmas games. Last year, the Chicago Bulls vs. the Los Angeles Lakers drew 6.5% of U.S. households, ABC's third-highest-rated regular-season game ever. And the Boston Celtics vs. the New York Knicks on TNT drew 4% of U.S. households, the highest-ever rating for an NBA regular-season game on cable TV and more than double the network's regular-season average.

Johnson said Christmas games never created a family issue. If it were a home game, he would exchange gifts with family and friends the day before and if it were road game, after he returned.

Over the years, some players and coaches have complained about playing on Christmas. Former Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said the NBA fined the Magic for his anti-NBA on Christmas Day comments in 2009, and former Lakers coach Phil Jackson once said games shouldn't be played on Christmas.

Lakers guard Steve Nash understands both sides â?? as the father of three children and a pro basketball player who makes a considerable salary.

"I make the most of it. I look forward to it," said Nash who had 24 points and 14 assists on Dec. 25, 2007. "Of course it throws a wrench in everything, but it's still a great opportunity to play the game we love."

Nuggets coach George Karl, whose team will play the game on the road Tuesday, was wistful.

"I like it, except I don't like doing it every year," he said. "I think now it's three years in a row. (actually three times in fours seasons)â?¦ You know, there's a part of me where I'm getting old and I'm more into the nostalgia about being with my family and hanging out. I'm not saying it's one way or another."

Lakers forward Metta World Peace said his youngest daughter, Diamond, doesn't like it when he isn't around for the holiday.

"I just buy presents and I'm never home, so I totally forget about Christmas to be honest," he said.

But leave it to World Peace to find joy in the season.

"I love Christmas music â?? I do. I love Christmas music," he said. "Like I love when it's like Nov. 28 and you hear that first Christmas song. That's the best feeling ever. I enjoy the whole time, but I know I'm not going to be there on Christmas."